LEGENDARY King George-winning trainer John ‘Shark’ Hanlon has been banned for ten months for ‘gross negligence’.
The massive punishment relates to the transportation of a dead horse.
Footage shared on social media showed a deceased horse being driven through a town in broad daylight.
Shark Hanlon, a big-time trainer in Ireland, was one of the stars of recent ITV docu-series Champions: Full Gallop.
His biggest win came last Boxing Day when stable star Hewick won an unforgettable King George at Kempton.
But his career has been thrown into disarray after the ban – the final five months of which could be suspended – was confirmed.
It relates to footage from June this year of a horse carcass being transported.
Hanlon said that he tried to cover up the body with tarpaulin prior to it being moved from a paddock in Kilkenny to County Carlow.
But the measures he had taken failed completely during the journey, leaving the carcass totally exposed.
Awful footage of the horse’s body being driven through the streets was shared on social media.
And the Referrals Committee who heard the case said: “The adverse publicity then spread to the conventional media.
“Mr Hanlon’s conduct thereby attracted significant public opprobrium and adverse comment, relating to both Mr Hanlon personally and to the racing industry generally.”
In a torrid few days for the larger-than-life trainer, he also had to make a statement just this morning after it was alleged online he was responsible for the appearance of an emaciated horse.
A photo of four-year-old filly Bedelia looking very skinny was posted after Hanlon sold her.
He said he was ‘horrified’ to see the condition the horse was in and claimed she left his yard ‘looking a million dollars’.
The Committee ruling over Hanlon concluded the trainer was ‘grossly negligent in the supervision of the transport of the horse carcass’.
And it was said his attempts to cover the body with tarpaulin, bungee cord and concrete bricks were ‘obviously entirely inadequate’.
The ruling added: “The importance of proper respect for the carcass of the deceased animal ought to have been well-known to all trainers, including Mr Hanlon, following recent high-profile public controversies concerning the shortcomings of trainers and riders in other cases.”
Hanlon drew criticism previously for taking Hewick into a pub and giving him a sip of Guinness after he won the American Grand National.
Hanlon is responsible from turning £800 buy Hewick into a genuine superstar of racing.
He also performed miracles with fellow cheap purchase and subsequent Grade 1-winning hurdle Skyace.
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